


Watch Out for that 'Ronavira!

by carolej126



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Family, Gen, Humor, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24789823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: How will our boys respond to the coronavirus?Written in response to the VinList June 2020 Chat Challenge: Quarantine
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Watch Out for that 'Ronavira!

“Vin? JD?” Chris called, pausing at the bottom of the stairs that led to the second floor. “Are you two ready to go?” 

When muffled voices and scampering footsteps were the only response heard from the bedroom that the boys shared, Buck gave it a try. “JD? Vin?”

“We’s comin’,” Vin finally answered, coming into view for just a second before disappearing again. “JD’s almost ready.” 

“Ready?” Chris darted a questioning look at the other man. “What do you think they’re doing up there?” he asked. “We’re just going for a drive and a quick stop at the park.”

Buck shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.” He waited a minute, hoping to see the boys making their way downstairs, but when they failed to make an appearance, he yelled, “Let’s go, boys! Get a move on, or we’re gonna go without you.” 

“No! Don’t leave withouts us!” JD shouted in panic. “Da, we wants to see Unca’ Ezra, Unca’ J’siah, and Unca’ Nathan! They’s gonna wear their special masks!” 

“I was just kidding,” Buck said hastily, noting the exasperated look Chris aimed his way. “We’re not really gonna leave without you.” 

“But we do need to get going or we’re going to be late,” Chris added, jingling the keys in his hand for emphasis. “We said we’d be there by ten o’clock.” 

“We’re ready,” Vin called, heading down the stairs at last.

“Don’t forgets you promised to wear your masks so’s we all match!” came JD’s voice from behind Vin. 

“I was kind of hoping they forgot,” Buck admitted sotte voce.

“No such luck,” Chris whispered back, before they both obediently donned their face masks.

*******

The two men had come home early from work at the beginning of the COVID-19 quarantine, sitting down with the boys and explaining that schools would be closed for a while, the boys would have to remain at home with their housekeeper, Mrs. Potter, and that they would need to allow their dads a little extra time to clean up upon returning home from work before bestowing hugs “just to be on the safe side.”

Vin had listened, thought for a moment, looked up at his dad for reassurance, and then the seven year old nodded his understanding.

JD was another story. The younger boy’s eyes had gotten wider and wider as the two dads had explained about the virus. And when Buck modeled his black mask for JD, the little boy immediately complained, “But I can’ts see you.” His lip quivering, he added plaintively, “I’s gots to see you, Da.” 

“I don’t have to wear it at home,” Buck said, removing his mask. “I just have to wear it when I’m at work.” 

Satisfied with the explanation, JD reached out for the face covering. “Can I wear it?” he asked hopefully. 

Buck shook his head, moving his mask out of reach. “Not right now, Lil’ Bit,” he answered. “But once I get a chance to make sure it’s nice and clean, I’ll let you try it on. Okay?”

As JD nodded, Vin turned to his dad. “Do you have to wear a mask, too?” 

Chris nodded, retrieving his own black mask from his jacket pocket. “What do you think,” he asked his son as he deftly covered his nose and mouth with the cloth mask. “Do I look silly?”

Vin quietly studied his father, then smiled and answered, “You look like a superhero.”

“Da, too,” JD practically yelled, jumping to his feet and bouncing up and down on the cushions so excitedly that Buck had to grab the five year old to keep him from falling over the back of the couch. “He’s a superhero!”

“Buck, too,” Vin agreed. “Hey, JD, let’s go play superhero!”

“Yeah!”

The two boys had quickly settled into their new routine, missing their friends at school, but having fun completing their school work on the two laptops that their school had provided. Those laptops had also come in handy when the boys wanted to ZOOM with the rest of their extended family, who had decided to keep their distance out of an abundance of caution.

That had been several months ago, and now Chris and Buck were ready to take the home-bound-for-way-too-long boys out for an adventure. It didn’t matter to any of them that it was just going to be a quick trip to a nearby park before returning home. Or that they wouldn’t even be able to use the playground equipment in what was being called “phase one of the reopening plan.” What did matter was that it would be a chance to get out of the house, plus, spend some time with their uncles. 

Chris and Buck had been convinced to purchase four colorful masks for the special occasion “because we gots to match!” And then, unable to resist two sets of pleading “puppy dog eyes,” the dads had agreed to wear them not just at the park, but also on the way there and back. 

In addition, as a surprise for their uncles, they had also picked out a special mask for each of them to wear.

Now, the time had finally come. Vin and JD got up at the crack of dawn, wolfed down their breakfasts, and completed their chores in record time. And with their anticipation building with each second that passed, they rushed upstairs at breakneck speed. 

*******

At first the two men just stared. While Vin looked relatively normal, aside from the blue mask he proudly wore over his face, JD was another story. In addition to his jeans and t-shirt, he was wearing a red mask, blue goggles, a yellow construction helmet, a multicolored cape, and black rubber boots that reached his knees.

“JD, why in the world are you dressed like that?” Buck asked in bewilderment, his voice slightly muffled under his green mask.

His voice clearly conveying “duh,” JD said, “It’s my dis-guys.” 

“Disguise,” Vin corrected, rolling his eyes.

“That’s what I said!” JD retorted indignantly. “Dis-guys.” 

Buck and Chris exchanged an amused glance as the two boys faced off, JD’s hands on his hips and Vin aiming a mini-glare at JD.

“He gets that from you, Stud.”

Chris snorted. “Like you’re innocent.” 

“That’s not how you say it,” Vin insisted.

“Uh, huh!”

“Now, boys, settle down,” Buck interjected, before the argument got out of control.

“I tried to tell him that he don’t need no disguise, but he didn’t listen,” Vin sighed. “That’s what was takin’ us so long.”

“Why do you need a disguise?” Buck questioned curiously, looking from Vin to JD.

“I’s in dis-guys so that ‘ronavira can’t find me,” JD explained seriously.

Buck blinked a couple times, trying not to laugh. Then he picked up his son, draped him over his shoulder as the little boy giggled, and said, “You sure are! No ‘ronavira’s gonna find my Lil’ Bit!” He winked at Chris and Vin. “I think it’s safe to head out.”

As Buck and JD headed for the door, Chris looked down at Vin, his eyes twinkling above his black mask. “You ready?” he asked, “Or, do you need a disguise, too?”

Vin shook his head vigorously. “I don’t need no disguise.”

“Are you sure?” Chris teased. “I wouldn’t like that ‘ronavira to get you either!”

“Dad...” 

At that, Chris laughed and followed Buck’s example, reaching down to lift Vin over his own shoulder. “Then, let’s go!”

~end~

Note: Author has taken liberties with actual COVID-19 restrictions and does not in reality take the pandemic lightly


End file.
